Mattermost_BNJ_Redacted_Final.pdf

Justification for an Exception to Fair Opportunity or to Use Brand-Name Restriction

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

November 2018 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 2 of 3

The cost estimate for this effort is derived from current user requirements in Kessel Run combined with commercially listed price information listed by the Original Equipment Manufacturer on their website.

(FY19-FY20): 1,500 licenses and support services for 12 months at -

The order placed will be within the applicable dollar value of the underlying contract in addition to falling within the relevant PoP of the ordering vehicle.

The Det-12 program office issues, monitors, and tracks usage of per license software through the Kessel Run Enterprise Services (KRES) Branch Business Tools team. The KRES Business Tools team closely monitors and tracks the amount of licenses requested and in use by the Kessel Run enterprise and Kessel Run enterprise customers to ensure strict control of licenses in use within the specified amount issued per the contract.

(4) Justification for restricting consideration to a brand-name item:

FAR 16.505(a)(4) states that requirements must be justified and approved when restricting consideration to an item peculiar to one manufacturer. Brand name items shall not be used unless the particular brand name, product or feature is essential to the Government's requirements and the market research indicates other companies similar products, or products lacking the particular feature, do not meet, or cannot be modified to meet, the agency's needs.

The Kessel Run methodology for delivering software to its customers across the globe requires real-time cloud based private cloud messaging system. Mattermost operates at a minimum on the following Air Force networks: UNCLASS, NIPR, and SIPR, all of which are utilized in the Kessel Run Enterprise. Mattermost provides the capability to process Control Unclassified Information (CUI) and For Official Use Only (FOUO) data. Mattermost is able to integrate with Kessel Run's DoD required Okta Single Sign-On (SSO) system. Additionally, the Mattermost gives the client the ability to manage the encryption keys internally within the clients private cloud network, this capability will allow the KRES team to ensure compliant security with DoD guidelines of such a system. The systems secure messaging platform allows for encrypted push notifications, which are paramount given the geographically dispersed network the Kessel Run enterprise services.

Given the need for the above capabilities, it was determined through market research that no other solutions currently contain the necessary security requirements and feature set to meet Kessel Run's requirements in a collaborative DevOps-focused chat client.

If Mattermost private cloud messaging services are not acquired, Kessel Run and its integrated teams would lack any means of communicating with one another, significantly hampering the efficiency and ability of the overall organization to build, test, and stage software. These impacts would also affect mission critical operational units, with which Kessel Run provides software to.

(5) Contracting Officer's determination that the anticipated cost to the Government will be fair and reasonable:

Orders under this BNJ will be based upon competitive quotes received from authorized resellers of the brand in a fair opportunity competitive environment, such as NASA SEWP V. Adequate price competition exists, which will ensure the Government pays a fair and reasonable price. Award(s) will be made to the lowest priced technically acceptable offeror. In addition, IAW FAR 15.404(b)(1), a price analysis will be performed in order to ensure that the overall price being paid is fair and reasonable to the Government. The Government will also seek price reductions on published price lists that may exist on IDIQ vehicles.

(6) Other facts supporting the justification:

N/A